Curtain frame construction



Jan. 1e, 1934. F. A. HILES 1,943,763

CURTAIN FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed July 29, 1952 54 55 50a, 6 52a V20@ Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITEB STATES PATENT OFFICE Frank A. Hoiles, Alliance, Ohio, assigner of onehalf to Ruth E. Cope, Alliance, Ohio Application July 29, 1932. Serial No. 626,021

8 Claims.

The invention relates to adjustable frames for stretching Curtains, and more particularly to adjustable clamping connections between the frame members.

Prior clamping means for adjustable curtain frames have generally added considerable weight and bulk, and offer much difficulty in packing and shipping. Also, certain of such prior clamping constructions require considerable effort in positively clamping the frame members against relative movement, and tend to mar the frame members with continued use.

Another difficulty often arises in that the clamping means become bent with constant use and do not function to securely maintain the frame members in adjusted position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide clamping means which may be secured in position on the frame members when the same are fabricated, and need not be removed for transportation or packing.

Another object is to provide' clamping means which may be secured in position on the frame members and thenthe same may be packed for shipment without occupying any material additional space.

A further object is to provide an adjustable curtain frame construction in which the relatively movable frame members may be securely clamped together in the same positions again and again without marring the members in any way.

A still further object is to provide an adjustable curtain frame construction having clamping means which, with a minimum of effort, may always be made to positively secure the frame members in adjusted position, and which will entirely release the frame members to allow easy relative movement thereof for adjustment of the frame.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable curtain frame embodying the foregoing objectives in a simple, strong and lightweight construction which is extremely easy to assemble and adjust, and

which involves a minimum of labor and expense in manufacture.

These and other objects are attained by the improvement comprising the present invention, which may be stated in general terms as including, a curtain frame having frame members normally positioned to form a rectangle, the outside face of each frame member having an inclined surface, a rigid clamp member secured on one end of each frame member and (Cl. L15m-24:)

extending around the outside face of an adjoining frame member, resilient clamping means located between the clamp member and said outside face for abutting said inclined surface, and means on the clamp member for forcing the resilient clamping means into clamping abutment with said inclined surface and for moving said means away from said surface.

In the drawing forming part hereof.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an adjust'- able curtain frame embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of one of the improved clamping means, as on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the resilient clamping plate before being bent into shape, showing the method of stamping it from a strip;

Fig. 4 is a View of the resilient clamping plate, showing the manner of bending it to fit on the clamp member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a. corner of the curtain frame, showing the frame members clamped together by the improved clamping means; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysectional view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of clamping means.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In Figure 1, the improved clamping construction is showny applied to a portion of a curtain frameY having the vertical frame members 10 and horizontal frame members. 11. The vertical and horizontal frame members l() and 11 are adapted to be moved relative to each other so as to adjust the curtain frame to various rectangular sizes to accommodate different sizes of curtains.

Each frame member preferably has a rabbeted or cut away inner edge portion 12, the upper surface of which is provided with a series of spaced pins or hooks indicated at 13, for engaging theV marginal edges of a curtain for stretching it in the frame. One end of each frame member is provided at its upper side with a projecting portion 14 adapted to overlap the upper surface of the inner edge portion 12 of an adjoining frame member, and the projecting portion 14 forms a shoulder 15 thereunder for abutting the inner face of the portion 12,

The outer face 16 of each of the frame members 10 and 11, is preferably provided with a surface inclined upwardly inward toward the overlapping portion A1li of the abutting frame member, for a purpose to be hereinafter del scribed.

A substantially L-shaped rigid clamp member 17 is secured to the under side of the end portion of each frame member, and is provided with an angular upstanding portion or leg 18, preferably parallel with and adapted to extend around the outer face 16 of the adjoining frame member when the curtain frame is assembled. Preferably, the clamp member 17 is in the form of a metal strip secured to the end portion of the frame member as by screws 19.

Clamping means for holding each frame member against movement relative to the adjoining frame member preferably includes a substantially Ueshaped resilient clip or bent plate 20. The plates 20 are stamped from a flat strip as indicated at 21 in Fig. 3. The strip 21 is provided at predetermined intervals with longitudinally extending slots, and each plate 20 is stamped from the strip at a location relative to the slots so as to form a long slot or notch 22 at one end thereof and a relatively short slot or notch 23 at the other end.

In this manner, the end of another plate adjoining the notch 22 is provided with a short notch 23', equal in size to the notch 23, and the end of another plate adjoining the notch 23 is provided with a long notch 22 equal in size to the notch 22, so that a plurality of the plates may be stamped from a strip with a minimum of waste of material.

After a plate 20 has been stamped out, its end portion 24 is bent upwardly and to the right at the approximate location of dotted line 25, and its other end portion 26 is bent upwardly and to the left at the approximate location of dotted line 27, as shown in Fig. 4, forming the substantially U-shaped clip best shown in Fig. 5. The end portion 24 forms one leg of the U, and the intermediate portion 28 between lines 25 and 27 forms the other leg. The short end portion 26 is preferably reversely bent, as shown in Fig. 5, to a position substantially parallel to portion 28, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Means for moving the clamping means into clamping abutment with and away from the inclined surface or outer face 16 of an adjacent frame member, may comprise the bolt 30 which is screwed through the leg 18 of each clamp member 17, and which is perpendicularly disposed to the inclined surface 16. The outer end of the bolt 30 may have a wing nut 31 secured thereon for turning the bolt, and its inner end is preferably provided with an enlarged portion or collar 32.

In assembling the clip 20 on the clamp member 17, the clip is iirst slid laterally of the member 17 so that the notch 23 of portion 26 engirdles bolt 3() behind the angular portion 18 of the clamp member and in front of collar 32, the portion 28 of the clip passing behind the collar, that is, between the collar and the inclined face 16 of an adjacent frame member 10. The leg 24 of the clip is then moved in a laterally opposite direction to engirdle the bolt 30 between wing nut 31 and the angular portion 18 of clamp member 17. Preferably, the leg 24 is then soldered or welded to the angular portion 18 to insure maintaining the clip in position.

After the clip 20 is assembled on the clamp member 17, which clamp member may be secured to the end portion of a frame member 1l, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5; with the edge portion 12 of the adjoining frame member 10 abutting the shoulder 15, the member 10 may be easily clamped at different positions relative to member 11 by manipulation of the wing nut 31.

By screwing the bolt 30 inwardly, the enlarged portion 32 moves the leg portion 28 of the clip away from angular portion 18 and into clamping abutment with thel inclined surface 16 of member 10. Since the bolt 30 acts perpendicularly to the surface 16 of frame member 10, the member l0 is forced inwardly against shoulder l5 and at the same time downwardly against clamp member 17 to positively clamp the frame member 10 against movement, with a minimum of effort.

By screwing the bolt 30 outwardly, the collar 32 is engaged with the slotted portion 26 of clip 20 to positively move the leg 28 toward angular portion 18 'and away from the face 16, entirely releasing the frame member 10 and allowing it to be easily slid or moved relative to member 11.

With this construction there is no possibility of any of the parts of the clamping means becoming lost, because the wing nut is secured to bolt 3C, preventing its detachment therefrom, the clip 28 is welded to the angular portion 18 of member 17, and the collar 32 prevents the bolt 30 from being screwed entirely out of the angular portion 18.

In the modiiied form shown in Fig. 6, the frame member 10a has a vertical outside face 16a, which is provided with a longitudinally extending Vgroove 34, having inclined surfaces. The inner leg 28a of the clip 26a is provided with a V-shaped portion 35 adapted to it in the groove 34, and the bolt 30a acts perpendicularly to the face 16a. The bolt 30a, is provided with an enlarged portion 32a which may be tapered to fit in the V portion 35 for moving the same into clamping abutment with the inclined surfaces of the V groove 34. Thus when the bolt 30a is screwed inwardly, frame member 10a is forced against shoulder 15a of the frame member 11a, and at the same time member 10c is forced upwardly against the projecting portion 14a and downwardly against the clamp member 17a to positively clamp the frame member 16a against relative movement with very little effort.

The clamp members and clips may be assembled and secured on the end portions of the respective frame members when the same are fabricated, and need not be removed for packing and shipment, because the improved clamping means occupies a minimum of space.

Since the outside faces of the frame members are always abutted by the at portions of the clips, the frame members may be clamped in the same positions any number of times without marring them. Obviously, the improved clamping construction is simple, strong and light in weight; it is easy to assemble and adjust; and it involves a minimum of labor and expense in manufacture.

I claim:

l. Curtain frame construction including relatively movable frame members, a substantially L-shaped clamp member secured on the end of one frame member and having a leg extending around the outside face of an adjoining frame member, the outside face of said adjoining frame member being provided with a surface inclined away from said leg, a clamping plate located between said leg and the outside face of the adjoining frame member for abutment with said inclined face, and means on said clamp member and acting perpendicular to said inclined face for moving the clamp plate into clamping abutment therewith.

2. A clamp for an adjustable curtain frame and the like, including a clamp member having an angular portion, a substantially Ushaped resilient clip having one end portion secured to and the other end portion located behind the angular portion of the clamp member, means on the clamp member for moving said other end portion of the clip away from said angular porn tion of the clamp member, and means on said other end portion of the clip cooperating with the first-named means for moving said other end portion toward said angular portion of the clamp member.

3. A clamp for an adjustable curtain frame and the like, including a clamp member having an angular portion, a substantially U-shaped clip having one end portion secured to and the other end portion located behind the angular portion of the clamp member, a bolt screwed through said angular portion and having an enlarged end for abutting said other end portion of the clip, and said other end portion of the clip being provided with a reversely bent slotted portion engirdling the bolt in front of the enlarged end.

4. A clamp for an adjustable curtain frame and the like, including a clamp member having an angular portion, a substantially U-shaped clip having one end portion secured to and the other end portion located behind the angular portion of the clamp member, said other end portion being V-shaped in cross section 'for fitting a curtain frame having a V-shaped surface, a bolt screwed through said angular portion and having an enlarged end for abutting said other end portion of the clip, and said other end portion of the clip being provided with a reversely bent slotted portion engirdling the bolt in front of the enlarged end.

5. Curtain frame construction including relatively movable frame members, one end of each frame member having a portion abutting the inner face and a portion overlapping the upper face of an adjoining frame member, a clamp member secured on said end of each frame member and extending around the outer face of the adjoining frame member, said outer face having a surface inclined upwardly inward toward said overlapping portion of the abutting frame member, and clamping means on each clamping member for abutting said inclined surface.

6. Curtain frame construction including relatively movable frame members, one end of each frame member having a portion abutting the inner face and a portion overlapping the upper face of an adjoining frame member, a clamp member secured on said end of each frame member and extending around the outer face of the adjoining frame member, said outer face having a surface inclined upwardly inward toward said overlapping portion of the) abutting frame member, and resilient clamping means on each clamping member for abutting said inclined surface.

Curtain frame construction including relatively movable frame members, one end of each frame member having a portion abutting the inner face and a portion overlapping the upper face of an adjoining frame member, a clamp member secured on said end of each frame member and extending around the outer face of the adjoining frame member, said outer face having a surface inclined upwardly inward t0- ward said overlapping portion of the abutting frame member, a clamp plate located between each clamp member and the outer face of the adjoining frame member for abutting the inclined surface thereof, and means on the clamp member for moving the clamp plate into clamping abutment with and away from said inclined surface.

8. Curtain frameconstruction including relatively movable frame members, one end of each frame member having a portion abutting the inner face and a portion overlapping the upper face of an adjoining frame member, a clamp member secured on said end of each frame member and extending around the outer face of the adjoining frame member, said outer face having a surface inclined upwardly inward toward said overlapping portion of the abutting frame member, a U-shaped resilient clip secured to each clamp member and having a clamping portion located between the clamp member and the outer face of the adjoining frame member for abutting the inclined surface thereof, and means on the clamp member for moving the clamp plate into clamping abutment with and away from said inclined surface.

FRANK A. HOILES.

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